Monthly Archives: April 2014

Spring has well and truly sprung and nature appears to be in full-on party mode with lilacs bursting forth hither and yon, the sound of birdsong filling the air and the welcome arrival of longer, lighter and warmer evenings.

Love Lane Caravans www.lovelanecaravans.com

Our author, the interiors stylist and blogger Selina Lake has turned her attention to all things exterior in her latest book aptly titled Outdoor Living,in which she provides the inspiration and insightful ‘DIY’ ideas to transform outdoor spaces of all shapes and sizes, taking in buttercup fields, terraces & decks, potting sheds, summer houses, beach huts, shacks, renovated vintage caravans and beaches along the way.

Mayfield Lavender Nursery www.mayfieldlavender.com

With the Easter break finally here and the whole of summer stretching before us, the lovely locations featured in this book have inspired us to explore the great outdoors. Why not plan a trip to Mayfield Lavender, the jaw-droppingly beautiful organic lavender nursery situated on the North Surrey Downs? Or what better way to escape city life than a luxury camping mini-break courtesy of Cornwall-based Barefoot Glamping for a few days of relaxation and fresh country air? If you’re thinking of bringing colour and fragrance to your own garden, David Austin Roses, arguably the finest growers and purveyors of the perennially popular bloom, is the place to go. We also love Cornish-based Love Lane Caravans, creators of utterly adorable cabins, portable garden rooms, glamping huts and vintage caravans and vehicles, lovingly built and designed using architectural salvage. Our collective hearts are set upon their little white cabin with yellow- framed windows, styled on traditional mid-19th century tin tabernacles. Ah, one day. One day…

This week as part of our new Embrace Nature feature we wanted to share a lovely little project to help you get ready for Easter! This Easter Nest is taken from Inspire: The Art of Living with Nature by Willow Crossley and shows just how easy it is to bring nature into the home, especially in the holidays when you will be around to enjoy it! This is a great one to make with the kids and to store some tasty mini Easter egg chocolates for them to enjoy on Sunday, as well as a beautiful way to make a natural display in your home for guests to admire.

Easter Nests

I always feel a bit cruel picking up a bird’s nest. We found a few in our garden this year and left them where they were for months, until we were sure that no one was coming back to inhabit them.

However, a nest is used only to hold the eggs and protect the young. Most nests are abandoned once the babies are old enough to leave. If you don’t like the idea of bringing a real nest inside, it’s easy to make your own from moss and twigs and maybe a little fine straw. I love using a mix of genuine (abandoned) nests and homemade ones on the table at Easter. I display them under glass domes, filling them with mini chocolate eggs and hollowed-out quails’ eggs, and even a decorative feather bird. Here, I’ve also added a pretty glass with a bunch of lily-of-the-valley.

INGREDIENTS

Large shallow dish

Moss, twigs, fine straw

Abandoned nest

Mini chocolate eggs

Hollowed-out quails’ eggs

Glass dome

Glass jar

Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis)

Inspire: the Art of Living with Nature by Willow Crossley is available here.

We hope you have some time to enjoy nature over the holidays, whether you are out in the garden over the weekend or choose to decorate your house with nests and flowers for Easter, and have a fantastic break!

As we approach the wedding season, we wanted to share a delicious recipe by our author and specialist celebration cake maker, Victoria Glass, who’s new book Deliciously Vintage is out now. This Passion Cake recipe was originally created for weddings, as Victoria explains below, but we think it sounds just lovely and we fancy making it this weekend!

Whether you’re looking for something to serve for friends with tea and coffee on Saturday afternoon, or for a lovingly baked dessert to have after dinner one evening, this tasty cake classic will be just the thing.

passion cake

This deliciously moist carrot cake has the fragrant additions of banana and coconut. Apparently, the cake was created for weddings as a cheaper alternative to traditional fruitcake. It was named passion cake in celebration of the love and union of marriage. It doesn’t actually contain any passion fruit, but I sometimes like to scoop out some passion fruit pulp to decorate the top.

For the cake

4 large eggs

300 ml/1 1/4 cups

sunflower oil

400 g/2 cups light muscovado sugar

450 g/3 cups grated carrot

zest of 1/2 orange

1 large ripe banana, mashed

100 g/ 2/3 cup roughly chopped walnuts

50 g/ 1/2 cup desiccated coconut

350 g/2 3/4 cups self-raising/ rising flour

2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda/baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 quantity cream cheese frosting (see below)

To decorate

200 g/1 1/3 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

pulp of 1–2 ripe passion fruit

serves 10–12

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) Gas 2.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil and sugar until fully combined and slightly frothy. Add the carrot, orange zest, banana, walnuts and coconut and mix together. Sift over the flour, bicarbonate of soda/baking soda and spices and fold in with the salt.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 35–45 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Leave the cakes to cool completely in their pans on top of a wire rack for 10 minutes, before turning out onto the rack to cool completely.

In the meantime, make the cream cheese frosting following the instructions below. Whisk in a little lemon juice if desired.

Place one of the cakes on a serving plate and spread the top with half the frosting. Position the second cake on top and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Gently press the chopped walnuts to the sides of the cake, if using, and decorate with passion fruit pulp on the top as an ode to the cake’s name, if you wish.

cream cheese frosting

200 g/6 1/2 oz. full-fat cream cheese

125 g/1 stick unsalted butter, softened

500 g/3 1/3 cups icing/confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

makes single quantity

To make the frosting, whisk the cream cheese and butter together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Sift over half of the icing/confectioners’ sugar and whisk again until combined. Sift over the remaining icing/confectioners’ sugar and whisk again. Whisk in the vanilla and lemon zest until the frosting is light, fluffy and spreadable.

Deliciously Vintage by Victoria Glass is full of all of the baking favourites you remember from your childhood (and some that you wish you'd tasted as a child, but at least you can try them now!) The book is available here.

Whoever said that mid-week meals can’t be delicious? Whether you are cooking a relaxed meal for a few friends after work or need something super quick to put on the table before you rush out again, mid-week meals should be appetizing and enjoyable to make! So today we have a quick and tasty salad (a whole book of salad recipes here you may also enjoy) for you to try from Friends Around the Table by Acland Geddes of Megan’s Restaurant and Deli.

The ingredients in this recipe can be thrown together pretty swiftly, so you could even take them to work for a tasty lunch or serve with some lovely crusty bread for dinner. The reduced balsamic vinaigrette will last you a few meals, so take a little extra time one evening to make it and then enjoy it for several salads after that!

grilled nectarines with buffalo mozzarella, coppa salami & chilli

A great-looking dish that’s bound to get ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’. It tastes as good as it looks, and is totally foolproof. Don’t worry if you don’t have the time (or patience) to grill the nectarines – it’s the combination of colours and flavours that makes this simple assembly dish such a hit.

50 g/2 oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved

Reduced Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below), to serve

sea salt and cracked black pepper

a ridged grill pan

serves 4

Stone/pit the nectarines and cut them into quarters/fourths.

Heat a ridged grill pan until smoking hot, sprinkle the nectarine pieces with sugar and cook for a few minutes on each side, until the char-lines show. Remove and allow to cool.

Mix together the nectarines, salami, mozzarella, chilli, basil and olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper.

Arrange on a plate, scatter with the shaved Parmesan and Reduced Balsamic Vinaigrette, and serve.

reduced balsamic vinaigrette

Balsamic vinegar had all the hallmarks of a fad, and I was sure it was going to quickly move from cliché to passé. But it looks like it’s here to stay, and quite right too; it’s a unique flavour. There are many different types, with varying taste, viscosity, and, of course, price. The most expensive ones are usually thick and syrupy with a concentrated flavour, which you can replicate simply by reducing your standard balsamic in a hot pan.

125 ml/1/2 cup ordinary balsamic vinegar

125 ml/1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon clear honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

freshly squeezed juice of 1/2 lemon

sea salt

serves 8

Put the balsamic in a pan and bring to the boil.

Reduce by half, then test for viscosity by pouring a drop onto a cold plate. It should be syrupy but still pourable, the same consistency as maple syrup. If you reduce it too far it will become a solid blob upon cooling.

Put the reduced balsamic into a jar with the remaining ingredients and a good pinch of salt. Close the jar tightly and shake.

Friends Around the Table by Acland Geddes is full of delicious recipes like this one, perfect for spring and summer entertaining as well as cooking great meals for yourself or your family in an evening! To see the trailer for this beautiful book then click here and the book is available to buy here.

We’re now well and truly into spring and isn’t it lovely to see the sun shining and the plants revealing some colour (even if you do still need a coat to keep the wind out!)? The evenings are so much longer and lighter allowing us to enjoy a drink on the patio after work, a few hours to make the most of our homes before the night draws in, or even a spot of gardening in anticipation of the glorious flower-filled weekends ahead. It’s that time of year where we just want to get outdoors, embrace nature and enjoy some fresh air - so whether you are dreaming of pretty picnics in the park or days getting grubby in the garden, we have tons of ideas that you will love!

Each week over the Spring and Summer months we are going to post a project or some inspiration from one of our beautiful home and garden books that will encourage you to embrace nature and enjoy the outdoors. This week (as we aren’t quite into t-shirt weather yet!) we have chosen some beautiful creations that will allow you to bring nature indoors. So here are some stunning photos from three brilliant new books to start you off!

The three images above are all taken from the stunning new book by Isabelle Palmer, The House Gardener, published by CICO Books.

The three striking still life photos above are all taken from The Stuff of Life by Hilary Robertson, published by Ryland Peters & Small.

We do hope these gorgeous images will inspire you to bring nature indoors over the next few weeks and get you excited about the outdoor living opportunities ahead! Don't forget to pop back each week to see some more ideas for embracing nature and to try some of the creative projects from our books, whether interiors, cookbooks or crafts.

Last week, we won the social stationery category for our beautiful Seasalt notecards (which you can find in our Journals & Stationary section) as part of the London Stationery Show and we’re so thrilled! Judges included people from Sainsbury's, Rymans and the Guardian, and they loved the new Seasalt range that we launched in February 2014.

Our Seasalt stationery currently comes in two different designs. The Sail Away range is inspired by the surroundings and the nautical heritage of Cornwall - the rugged north coast, the lush south, harbours and boats.

Cornwall not only boasts beautiful stretches of white, sandy beaches but the great sub-tropical gardens of Heligan, Trebah, and Tresco Abbey Garden which form the basis of the Shells & Flowers range.

There's plenty of space to record your thoughts with two different sized packs of three notebooks in each range, while the award winning notecards are perfect for sending any greeting.

We are so proud to have won a London Stationery Show award with this great Seasalt range and we hope you enjoy the stationery!

I started meditating in my teenage years, as a friend of mine introduced me to the practice when I was going through a period of exam stress. Over time, I found it was a fantastic environment in which to relax, and it gave me the space I needed to press pause and gain some perspective. Over the years, I found that while I enjoyed meditating in a group environment, I didn't always have time to make the classes, and so I started to cultivate my own practice, at home, where I could bespoke the session to fit my needs and a time-frame of my choosing.

How do you integrate the meditation practice into your day to day life?

I fit in a 5-10 minute session most days, but if I'm experiencing a particularly busy day, and I find that I don't have time, I integrate Mindfulness into my day; so for example, on my walk into the city, I will be mindful of my surroundings and enjoy the moment as it unfolds - it's a great way to get the meditative benefits while out and about. I have written about Mindfulness in the book, and have also included some exercises readers can carry out while on the move.

Why is meditation beneficial to you?

I can get quite anxious, and so meditation has been a way for me to decompress and to keep my focus on just one thing, whether it be the sound of my own breathing or the immediate sounds and sights around me. I find that meditation de-clutters my thinking, and enables me to take a more balanced and even view of things.

What made you decide to write, 'Meditation Made Easy'?

I wanted to write from my own point of view as someone who has found a genuine benefit from the practice, and I also understand the questions an individual new to the practice will have. The beauty of this book is that all the exercises are accessible and not time specific. I have given a rough time guide of 5-10 minutes, but they don't have to be as long as that. As I say in the book, meditation is not a one-size fits all practice, so always bespoke your meditation routine to fit your lifestyle.

Meditation Made Easy by Stephanie Brookes is published on April 10th 2014 by CICO Books.

When we think of weekends we think of long, lazy, languishing mornings and what better way to start your day than with a delicious feast! Combine the might of maple syrup with utter brilliance of bacon and you have a maple-cured bacon sandwich to devour; a match made in heaven. Get your fingers nice and sticky with some good old fashioned dirty food!

maple-cured bacon & tomato sandwich

There’s no turning back once you’ve tried homemade maple-cured bacon, although you will need to prepare it a week in advance. When it’s ready, just try to stop yourself frying up the whole lot and working your way through it with sticky fingers and guilty pleasure.

for the maple-cured bacon

140 g sea salt

400 g brown sugar (preferably dark brown sugar)

320 g pure maple syrup

2.25–4.5 kg pork belly, washed and patted dry, with the skin left on

for the sandwich

8 slices sourdough bread

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

4 eggs, cooked on both sides (optional)

8 tomato slices

4 slices Cheddar cheese (optional)

maple cured bacon (see above), 2 slices per sandwich

handful of rocket

sea salt and ground black pepper

Sweet Pickles (see below)

Sweet Potato Fries (see below)

serves 4

Curing bacon at home takes a while, but it’s really worth it. In a medium bowl, combine the salt, sugar and maple syrup. Rub the mixture over the pork belly on both sides. Place the pork in a large resealable plastic bag with a zip and seal tightly. Refrigerate and let cure for 7 days, turning once a day.

After 7 days, the bacon will be cured. Cut off a small piece and fry it to test the saltiness of the bacon. If the bacon doesn’t taste too salty after being cooked, you are ready to proceed. If the bacon tastes too salty, soak the remaining pork belly in cold water for 1 hour.

Once the bacon is ready to cook, carefully slice it into strips of the desired thickness. Fry it for 3–4 minutes per side, until it reaches the crispiness that you like. Fry the eggs, if using.

Today is Tweed Day and we’re feeling the need for tweed! Not the traditional Scottish man’s jacket kind, instead the geek chic crochet skirt kind! So if you’re into crochet then here is a lovely project from the Nicki Trench book, Geek Chic Crochet, for you to enjoy.

tweed skirt

A great little skirt made using a smart and effective tweed stitch in three vivid colours.

Enjoy the rest of your week folks and happy tweed day!

In the early hours of Sunday morning the clocks jumped forward an hour in the UK to mark the start of British Summer Time and today we’ve even being treated a glimpse of some of that lovely summer weather! It was absolutely fantastic to be walking home from work last night while it was still light, and it got us thinking about the longer evenings ahead and the opportunity to enjoy some time outside.

While it might not be quite the season for hours lazying around in the garden, we can certainly start to enjoy some of that outdoor living on the deck! So to celebrate the start of summer and to put you in the mood, we’ve got some Terraces and Decks style inspiration from the wonderful Selina Lake, taken from her new book, Selina Lake Outdoor Living.

A modern outside dining area (below) has been set up on this wooden deck under a canopy of tropical greenery that creates a feeling of intimacy. The zesty lemon, lime, vibrant orange and hot pink garden chairs accentuate the tropical vibe of this urban garden. The Oriental-inspired vase holding delicate sprigs from the garden adds a pretty touch to the table, where drinks and olives have been laid out ready to be enjoyed before dinner.

Both of these terraces (below) have rusty elements in common, which always look appealing in an outdoor setting. If you have a wooden deck or terrace area in your garden, think about how you could incorporate other materials and textures, such as by introducing a metal divider to separate areas of your garden into different zones.

In the left image, I’ve used old crates as impromptu coffee tables. These small-scale chairs and little crate are ideal for a children’s tea party. Behind them, the effect of the rusty wall has been softened by hanging a handmade wreath of foliage and flowers from a pretty ribbon.

In the right image, an old brick wall becomes the perfect background for this rusty metal table and wooden slatted chairs. Don’t worry if you have a selection of chairs that aren’t all the same, as the mix-and-match approach adds an eclectic element to an outside space. A string of fabric bunting nicely counteracts the hardness of the brick wall.

If you love Selina Lake's fresh, pretty, vintage style, or you'd like to see more outdoor inspiration for the coming summer months then Selina Lake Outdoor Living is available here. Selina will be touring around the UK over the next few months so you can get your copy signed and meet the lady behind this beautiful book! See below for a list of the places that she will be visiting and get the date in your diary - you do not want to miss this!

We produce outstandingly beautiful books on homes & gardens, food & drink, weddings, babies & kids, plus vibrant stationery and gifts. We aim to capture, in words and pictures, those elements of life that give the greatest pleasure: sharing the perfect meal with friends, relaxing in a beautifully scented bath after a busy day, and a home that makes you happy every time you open the front door.